Psychiatric Sunday PART I
jenweavernj
Registered Users Posts: 133 Major grins
I did a photoshoot at this abandoned psychiatric compound in Skillman, NJ on over 250 acres. It was a maze of abadoned buildings which made for a great place to do a photo shoot like this...
I'd love to hear your thoughts?
The North Princeton Development Center, formerly known as the New Jersey State Village of Epileptics, was established in 1898 to provide an appropriate setting for the care and treatment of epileptics. Theretofore epileptics were lumped among the “dependent, defective, and delinquent classes,” and many lived in lunatic asylums or alms houses.
The Village was designed to be self-sustaining, complete with agricultural, food processing, and power generating capabilities, with patients providing much of the labor. In the 1930s, the thousand-plus-acre Village housed more than 1500 patients and staff in more than 100 buildings. It was a model of progressive institutional care in the United States, and because the Village demonstrated that epileptics could lead productive and meaningful lives, it is a landmark in the treatment of epilepsy. Reflecting this importance, the Epilepsy Foundation has shown interest in establishing a museum at the site.
As treatment for epilepsy improved, the Village lost its mission. Its closure in 1952 inaugurated several decades of decline, during which the institution served patients with severe psychiatric or developmental problems. In the late 1990s, what was then known as North Princeton Developmental Center closed, the site declared “surplus property.” While some land has been sold, roughly 250 acres and more than 100 buildings at the heart of this site, which is significant in architectural, landscape, and medical history terms, remain vacant, unused, and without a clear future. Montgomery Township would like to buy the property and adapt it to “civic, cultural, educational, and recreational purposes as well as limited redevelopment.” But negotiations with the State of New Jersey have come to a virtual standstill while the condition and safety of buildings and infrastructure declines.
The Village was designed to be self-sustaining, complete with agricultural, food processing, and power generating capabilities, with patients providing much of the labor. In the 1930s, the thousand-plus-acre Village housed more than 1500 patients and staff in more than 100 buildings. It was a model of progressive institutional care in the United States, and because the Village demonstrated that epileptics could lead productive and meaningful lives, it is a landmark in the treatment of epilepsy. Reflecting this importance, the Epilepsy Foundation has shown interest in establishing a museum at the site.
As treatment for epilepsy improved, the Village lost its mission. Its closure in 1952 inaugurated several decades of decline, during which the institution served patients with severe psychiatric or developmental problems. In the late 1990s, what was then known as North Princeton Developmental Center closed, the site declared “surplus property.” While some land has been sold, roughly 250 acres and more than 100 buildings at the heart of this site, which is significant in architectural, landscape, and medical history terms, remain vacant, unused, and without a clear future. Montgomery Township would like to buy the property and adapt it to “civic, cultural, educational, and recreational purposes as well as limited redevelopment.” But negotiations with the State of New Jersey have come to a virtual standstill while the condition and safety of buildings and infrastructure declines.
I'd love to hear your thoughts?
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Jen Rinaldi
The goal is not to change your subjects, but for the subject to change the photographer. ~Author Unknown
Nikon D90 & D80 DSLR| Nikon 18-200mm VR | Nikon 70-300 VR |Nikon 105mm f/2.8 MICRO LENS | Nikon 50mm f/1.4 |Tokina 12-24 | Nikon SB800 | Minolta X700 SLR | Minolta 50mm | Minolta 35-105mm
The goal is not to change your subjects, but for the subject to change the photographer. ~Author Unknown
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Comments
1. Generally, I like this image. The conversion is almost there - I think you need to bring down the hightlights a bit. Compositionally - I'm not liking the crop on the right side - it cuts off her legs and really, really centers the ladies' heads in the shot.
2. Cool - love the colors and the color processing. I think I would loose the blur vignette and use, instead, a dark one with very feathered edges (the edges of your vignette are a little abrupt). The ladies are both looking to the left in the image - what's there? They are quite centered in the shot; give them some rooom to look into ... perhaps?
3. This one I like - good colors, good composition with good lines throughout. I might thing about cloning out the vertical line (doorway) just right of the center of the photo. It appears (on this crap monitor I have here - I'm at work - don't tell my boss!) that you've blown the highlights on the faces, one hand, and some clothing. Was that intential?
For the most part, the rest of the photos are a repeat of the above.
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For #3 - yes, you are seeing correctly...the hightlights are blown in some areas and there was no way for me to recover them. They were in the direct sunlight. We took some at this corner of the building and then I eventually moved them into the shade because the sun was too intense....
Here is number two without the texture/blur action that I used.
The goal is not to change your subjects, but for the subject to change the photographer. ~Author Unknown
Take this with a grain of salt since I am no pro fashion photog, but with a location as powerful and unique as this I expect to see the models related to or interacting with it in some way. I don't quite get that here though 6 and 8 are closer to the idea. (Actually 8 rocks. I love #8. Just be careful with your masking, as she looks like she's got a nuclear glow) There is more continuity between their position/posing and the background. Otherwise I get the impression that these are just ladies hanging out in front of an abandoned building. Does that make sense?
Still, these are really nice captures and I hope that your models are just as pleased with them!
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
I really do appreciate the feedback. I'm learning something new everyday and everyone's points of view really get me "thinking" so that the next time I'm out doing something fun like this with friends I have all of these pointers in my mind.
Everything you see here is from the very beginning of the shoot and I think it took some time to warm up. I have a LOT MORE from this session and maybe when I'm done processing the next batch I can post some more to get additional feedback.
Thanks!!
The goal is not to change your subjects, but for the subject to change the photographer. ~Author Unknown
I think the reason I find it a disappointment is because of the build-up of your location did not fit your model, their expressions (for the most part) or their clothes.
I have to say the blonde girl has the better look for the location. Her appearance in #6 (kinda of creepy and ghost like) is what I was kind of expecting from a shoot that used in old, run-down mental institute as its backdrop.
However, you can also see you were trying to get some interest in your shoot going when you make them play paddy-cake. Which is a great idea for the location in my opinion but not the right angle it seems.
But besides that I think these are good shots of the girls if the location is withheld.
Keep shooting it, I'm sure you are already getting more ideas.
Cheers,
a.
ashleyharding.smugmug.com
(and not at work staring at my pc screen with blank stare)
The HDR gives them the crazy feel to them.
I really enjoy the photos!
Nice work!
I really like Pic 1 and 10
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